Georgia Yeager looking forward to traveling and more

Georgia Yeager, 60, of Johnstown is looking forward to something she hasn't had in more than 10 years — summer vacation.

Yeager, the administrative director for Somerset County Technology Center, is retiring this week after more than 35 years working in education.

"The worst part of the transition is cleaning out my office," she quipped.

Yeager's taking the change in stride. Summer beach trips and a flight to Italy are on tap for the next few months as the mother of two adjusts to post-retirement life. For Yeager, the free time means more time with family.

Retirement means more time with Dennis Yeager, her husband of 39 years, and her two sons Matthew, 34, and Andrew, 30, who live out of state. She also plans to spend some valuable time with her 94-year-old mother Genevieve Aubele.

Yeager might be stepping back from the school, but she plans to continue working in and with the community. She actively supports philanthropic groups such as the United Way of the Laurel Highlands and the American Association of University Women — a group dedicated to bringing about equity for women and girls.

"I really believe in what these groups do and what they value," she said. "It's all about helping people and trying to improve the community and that's great."

Yeager's also looking forward to curling up to a few more books than she normally has time for. Her favorite hobbies include gardening and participating in her book club. She's also an avid needle worker and regularly sews and cross stitches.

When it comes to her career in education, she said it will be the people that she misses most.

"I liked being with the students and the teachers," she said.

The school has grown since she took over as administrative director in 2006. In total, Yeager has been sat the tech center since 2000.

"When I look back, probably the best thing about being here is being able to share in the accomplishments of our staff," she said. "They really care about the students and everyone's working in unison toward the common goal of improving education."

Yeager's career in education began in 1973 after graduating from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a bachelors in English education. Yeager, who attended Oakmont High School near Pittsburgh, went on to acquire her master in education from Pennsylvania State University.

She taught high school English for three years at Burrell School District in Westmoreland County before relocating to Johnstown where she taught at the Hiram G. Andrews Center and eventually the Greater Johnstown Career and Technology Center.

It was during her time at the Johnstown Vo-Tech that Yeager became involved in curriculum development. She was also named the Southern Alleghenies tech-prep coordinator at that time.

"It gave me a taste for administration," she said.

Circumstances prompted a career change for Yeager as she saw her time at the Johnstown Vo-Tech nearing its end.

"I knew they were likely to go half time, and I'd end up losing my job teaching English," she said. "I was thinking about what would be my next move, and it made a lot of sense to go into administration."

Yeager acquired her principal certification and was hired at Somerset County Career and Technology Center in 2000. Six years later she became administrative director — a position she's held until her retirement this week.

She's faced several challenges during her time at SCTC, including the school's renovation from 2004-2006.

"It was amazing, renovating a school while still keeping it open," she said. "It was a lot of work, but it worked out well in the end."

The past few months have been dedicated toward making the transition easier for new Administrative Director Karen Remick. Yeager and Remick have worked closely for years.

"It's just a matter of her deciding which direction to take the school in," she said. "We've collaborated on just about everything, so she's ready."

Yeager said she looks back on her time at the center with no regrets.

"When I came here, I had in my mind that this is a small rural school," she said. "But I always wanted us to be the best small rural school we could possibly be. And I think we've marched toward that goal well."